Aga Khan University set to expand

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kmaherali
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Post by kmaherali »

Fall 2009 An Evening With...Lecture Series

Building New Campuses In the Islamic World

November 16, 2009

"Drawing on Islamic City-Building Traditions to Create a 21st Century Community of Learning"

David Dixon, FAIA
Principal in charge of Planning and Urban Design
Goody, Clancy & Associates

Lecture is free and open to the public.
Lecture is on Monday at 5:30 pm in Room 3-133
http://whereis.mit.edu/?mapterms=3-133&mapsearch=go
For further information please call 617 253 1400 or visit the web at
http://web.mit.edu/akpia/www/lecturescurrent.htm


Abstract

The Aga Khan is building a new liberal arts
campus on the outskirts of Karachi. The campus'
mission emphasizes interdisciplinary thinking and
seeks to encourage people of different
backgrounds to learn from each other and bring a
new generation of leadership in addressing global
economic, social, cultural and environmental
challenges. To support this new campus, the Aga
Khan commissioned planning for a new "university
village" for more than 20,000 people that would
take its inspiration from Islamic city building
values of human scale, environmental fit, and
nuanced transitions between public and private
spaces. This village represents a "community of
learning" that through its planning both
addresses the realities of 21st life in Pakistan
and reinforces the campus' mission by fostering
informal interaction, shared civic experience,
and sense of connection to the surrounding
environment.

Biography

The AIA honored David Dixon FAIA with its Thomas
Jefferson Award for Òa lifetime of É significant
achievement in [creating]É livable neighborhoods,
vibrant civic spaces, and vital downtown. He is a
co-author of Urban Design for an Urban Century
(Wiley, 2008).

http://h-net.msu.edu/cgi-bin/logbrowse. ... vL4BhJFjqA
kmaherali
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Post by kmaherali »

Convocation 2009

http://www.aku.edu/university/Con2009/p ... dent.shtml


Speeches

Address by Mr Firoz Rasul
President, Aga Khan University

Chief Guest, Dr Maleeha Lodhi
Chairman Saidullah Khan Dehlavi
Members of the Board of Trustees of Aga Khan University
Distinguished Guests
Faculty and Staff, Proud Parents and most important,
the Graduands
As Salaam Walaikum

Welcome to the 2009 AKU Convocation in Pakistan.

Beginning with the graduates and their families: congratulations! This is indeed a day of great celebration and pride for us all as you complete a significant milestone in your lives.

Today, 328 of you are graduating. From the Institute for Educational Development this morning, we have 40 students who have been awarded Master of Education degrees and 2 who were awarded a Doctor of Philosophy in Education. From the School of Nursing, we have 3 students who will receive their Master of Science in Nursing, 47 who will receive their Post-RN Bachelor of Science in Nursing, 37 who will receive their Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BScN) and 85 who will receive their Diploma in General Nursing. From the Medical College this morning, we have 3 students who received PhDs in the Health Sciences, 4 students who received a Master of Science in Clinical Research, 13 students who received a Master of Science in Epidemiology & Biostatistics, 7 who received a Master of Science in Health Policy & Management and 87 new doctors with an MBBS who took their Oath to uphold the ethics of patient care.

Congratulations and gratitude to your families for their endless support. Sincere appreciation is also extended to the faculty for their knowledge, teaching, mentoring and skills.

Soon you will be conferred with an AKU degree that symbolises your mastery of your profession at a global standard of quality. This is an opportune moment to reflect on the value of that degree and the institution that stands behind it.

AKU has earned its reputation as a beacon of quality by using best practices, inculcating an ethical framework and clear values as well as through its commitment to community development. Over its more than 25-year history, it has worked to bridge the needs of the developing world with the advancements of the developed world, adapting them to fit our needs and societies.

Looking back over the course of our history, we see that the University has expanded its sites and extended its reach. Starting from this health sciences campus and the Institute for Educational Development site in Karachi, we now have multiple campuses in diverse geographies. We are offering programmes in East Africa and are engaged in educational and technical support programmes in countries such as Syria, Egypt and Afghanistan. All our campuses are focused on maintaining the high standards that carry the AKU name.

Under the vision and guidance of the Founder and Chancellor, His Highness the Aga Khan, along with the passionate engagement of our dedicated Trustees and the support of our donors, we have been able to bridge the knowledge gap that formed a vast divide between the best of the West and the needs of the East.

Today - due to the commitment of our faculty and the support of our partner universities, we are able to bring this knowledge to benefit those most in need. Let me take a moment to acknowledge the contributions of our partner universities who have willingly shared their knowledge and expertise allowing us to learn from their successes as well as their challenges. Institutions that have helped AKU include Harvard University, the Karolinska Institute, Oxford, McMaster University and the University of Alberta. Many of you will also have heard about the Aga Khan Development Network Memoranda of Agreement signed this year with both the University of Texas at Austin and the University of California at San Francisco. These universities and our other supporters have faith in our standards and our values and have helped AKU educate a generation of students that have in turn positively impacted their communities.

Having just returned from a Board of Trustees meeting, I was reminded again about the important role that AKU has played in the progress of the regions we serve. A great strength of AKU is our ability to engage with communities and our greatest opportunity is to assist and empower these populations to improve their quality of life. When I review the community-based efforts of our Medical School or the research efforts of the teachers from the Institute for Educational Development or the grassroots connectivity of our School of Nursing graduates, I am humbled by the opportunities the communities provide us. It is these opportunities that allow AKU to develop programmes and services to meet these needs, and to build in our graduates that sense of community commitment and social responsibility, which is a responsibility that the Chancellor has entrusted upon us.

AKU continues to bring best practices to improve our programmes and education. The establishment of the Skills Learning Centre in the Medical College that will house state-of-the-art virtual reality and simulation as well as a tele-learning facility for our students, residents and faculty will provide opportunities for enhanced learning and practice. And the introduction of the midwifery programmes, both at the BScN level and through integration with four community-based hospitals that AKU has taken under its wings, provides enhanced services for the families we strive to serve.

As you graduate today, remember you graduate from a university that is passionately committed to positively impacting society by upholding strong ethics and principles. You have already been part of this impact and now as alumni, it is indeed your responsibility to carry this forward. We look to you, our alumni, to be our ambassadors - both in how you perform, serve and contribute; but also in how you remain connected to AKU.

I wish you great success in your future endeavors. Some of you will work in Pakistan, some will pursue further studies, and some of you will move overseas. Regardless of where you are, I encourage you to uphold the ethics of AKU - to serve with compassion and commitment - to be generous with your knowledge, time and money and so that others may benefit from all that you have gained.

And stay connected to AKU - we encourage you to participate in the continued growth and evolution of AKU. You will always remain part of AKU and we hope that AKU will always remain a part of you.

Let me end by quoting His Highness the Aga Khan, our Founder and Chancellor, from his remarks made at the Inauguration Ceremony of the Aga Khan Academy, Mombasa in December, 2003:

"... it is my hope that it will be members of this new generation who, driven by their own wide knowledge and inspiration, will change their societies. These young men and women, I am sure, will become leaders in the governments and the institutions of civil society in their own countries, in international organizations and in all those institutions, academic, economic and artistic that create positive change in our world."

I look forward to hearing how well you have lived up to this hope in you. Thank you.
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Post by kmaherali »

Key University Officers

Director General, Planning and Development of Campuses

The Director General for the Planning and Development of Campuses is responsible for ensuring timely and effective implementation of Aga Khan University's Projects for the Faculty of Health Sciences (FHS), the Faculty of Arts and Sciences (FAS) as well as for certain campuses outside Pakistan. This includes leading the planning and design process for the project, development and implementation of land acquisition strategies, developing tendering and construction strategies for the project, preparing the project execution plan and schedules for all aspects of the project. The Director General is also responsible for coordinating with the, academics team, finance and administration staff and other stakeholders in the project.

On an overall basis, the Director General also represents the team on Management and Board committees, especially the Facilities Committee (FC) and the University Oversight Committee (UOC).

Mr Nurmohamed, a Canadian citizen, has degrees in architecture from the University of Manchester, UK. He has over 32 years of experience with significant achievements as an Architect, Project Consultant and Director of Facilities Planning for large scale projects in Canada. Currently, with AKU, in Pakistan, he has the position of Director General, Planning & Development of Campuses and Project Director of Aga Khan University - Faculty of Arts and Sciences and in his capacity as Project Director AKU-FAS he is involved in leading and directing the master planning, design and project management in the development of the new campus in Education City, Karachi for FAS, graduate professional schools such as Architecture & Human Settlement and Education, and the adjacent ‘university village' providing housing and amenities for the FAS faculty, staff, students and graduate students as well as space for private research facilities and a conference centre and hotel.
http://www.aku.edu/university/aboutus/k ... ning.shtml
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Tibaijuka named Agakhan University Trustee

Nairobi, 14 Jan 10

UN-HABITAT Executive Director Mrs. Anna Tibaijuka has been named a trustee of the Aga Khan University.

A letter from the Chancellor His Highness the Aga Khan said Mrs. Tibaijuka’s choice was based on her wide experience and deep understanding of issues affecting developing countries.

“Your deep understanding of the multiple complexities of developing countries, in addition to your familiarity with Africa, from issues at the grassroots to those on an international scale, and the breadth of experience in addressing these issues with government and civil society organisations will, I am confident, greatly benefit the Aga Khan University at this exciting time of its development,” the Aga Khan said.

Chartered in 1983, Aga Khan University is a private, autonomous university that promotes human welfare through research, teaching and community service. Based on the principles of quality, access, impact and relevance, the University has campuses and programmes in Afghanistan, East Africa, Egypt, Pakistan, Syria and the United Kingdom.

Its facilities include teaching hospitals, Nursing Schools and a Medical College, Institutes for Educational Development, an Examination Board and an Institute for the Study of Muslim Civilisations.

Mrs. Tibaijuka holds a Doctorate of Science degree in agricultural economics from the Swedish University of Agricultural Science in Uppsala. She is the first African woman elected by the UN General Assembly as Under-Secretary-General of a United Nations programme. She is currently serving a second, four-year term as Under-Secretary-General and Executive Director of UN-HABITAT.
A Tanzanian national, Mrs. Tibaijuka was born to smallholder banana-coffee farmers in Muleba. She has served as a Member of the Commission for Africa established by British Prime Minister Tony Blair which resulted in the cancellation of multilateral debt for several African countries by the G8 Summit in 2005 at Glen Eagles, Scotland. In July 2005 the Secretary General appointed Mrs. Tibaijuka as his Special Envoy on Human Settlements Issues in Zimbabwe following massive evictions of the poor in urban areas.

She is currently a member of the World Health Organization Commission on the Social Determinants of Health, and is also a member of the Advisory Board of the Commission on the Legal Empowerment of the Poor, co-chaired by the former US Secretary of State, Ms. Madeleine Albright, and the Peruvian economist Hernando de Soto.

http://www.unhabitat.org/content.asp?ci ... ubMenuId=0
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Newborn mortality rate in Pakistan highest in Asia

Sunday, January 17, 2010
By By our correspondent

Karachi

Improvements in immediate newborn care and interventions that target common killers like birth asphyxia offered in communities and rural health facilities can dramatically change the number of babies surviving their first month of life, said experts speaking at a seminar on strategies to improve newborn survival.

The seminar was hosted by Aga Khan University and Save the Children, an international NGO, in collaboration with the Ministry of Health’s National Maternal, Newborn and Child Health Programme and National Programme for Family Planning and Primary Health Care.

“Newborn mortality rates in Pakistan are amongst the highest in Asia with the lowest rate of reduction. Within the newborn period, asphyxia, prematurity and sepsis account for almost 90 per cent of all deaths,” said Dr Zulfiqar Bhutta, Head, Division of Women and Child Health, AKU. This makes achieving the Millennium Development Goal 4, to reduce child mortality by two-thirds by 2015, quite challenging.

Health experts recommended investing in both community-based and outreach care and facility-based care. President of Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, Dr Shershah Syed while speaking about community interventions, said that the interventions would focus on encouraging families to seek care and teaching birth attendants immediate newborn care and resuscitation. Essential practices, such as drying and wrapping the baby immediately after birth and breastfeeding within the hour were also recommended along with the importance of recognising danger signs in newborns and quickly referring them to an appropriate health care provider or facility as needed.

Quoting the data compiled by the Demographic Health Survey (DHS), Dr Bhutta said that “Seventy per cent of all facilities in Pakistan do not have adequate equipment for newborn resuscitation,” and the need to provide proper equipment to those working at health facilities is becoming “necessary” by each passing day.

Through community engagement and a change in household behaviour and social culture patterns can create the demand for maternal and newborn care in community centres, if the doctors and policy makers are able to address the three main causes of death in newborns, that is diarrhoea, pneumonia and new born infections, 70 per cent of all newborn deaths can be avoided.

“This cannot be done by one organisation or one entity. We need to establish partnerships, develop coalitions and join hands to take this process forward. The Ministry of Health will lead this campaign and we need to support them in any way we can,” said Dr Amanullah Khan, Director Health, Save the Children.

While stressing the importance of public and private collaboration, he added that all stakeholders are responsible for improving child health in Pakistan. “We would like to see all the stakeholders – research institutions, the Ministry of Health, policy makers and implementers, all joining together to address newborn health in Pakistan,” said David Wright, Country Director, Save the Children.

However, when asked that why it is taking years to follow up goals that have been achieved by Bangladesh and other countries that are supposedly ‘lagging’ behind Pakistan, Dr Bhutta replied that Pakistan needs to take one step at a time and that through proper planning and consultation, these goals will be achieved. “It will take time but these goals are not impossible to achieve.”

http://www.thenews.com.pk/print1.asp?id=219119
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Looking for the best and the brightest . . . to lead EA
By CATHERINE RIUNGU (email the author)

http://www.theeastafrican.co.ke/news/-/ ... pvtdyuz/-/
Posted Sunday, January 31 2010 at 12:31

Firoz Rasul is a natural optimist, who exudes enthusiasm, which is currently focused on the institution he leads.

We (together with a colleague) met with the Kenyan-born President of the Aga Khan University (AKU) to reflect on its accomplishments so far, and explore the university’s plans to accelerate growth in the region.

Mr Rasul informed us that the primary reason for his current EA tour (in Nairobi, Kampala and Dar es Salaam) is one filled with a sense of accomplishment — the annual AKU EA Graduation celebrations.

“There is nothing more satisfying than to witness the triumphant faces of our graduates as they receive their diplomas and degrees — followed by the proud smiles and cheers of their parents, spouses and children” said Mr Rasul, “In East Africa, graduation is definitely a family achievement!”

This year, 246 students were awarded diplomas and degrees in education, nursing and postgraduate medical education. The graduates join 2085 East African AKU alumni who have received similar credentials since 2003.

“We are contributing to the development of East Africa with a high-quality educational institution, based in this region and addressing critical local issues from within the local context. With key university partners from the US, Canada, UK and Europe to help us incorporate international standards, we provide the best in the world to students who will not have to leave the region to participate in top notch intellectual and service pursuits. This way, we believe we will produce leaders who are committed to facing and resolving the East Africa’s major challenges” Rasul said.

The Aga Khan University and its Chancellor, His Highness the Aga Khan, have a long and mutually beneficial history with East Africa.

The Chancellor’s grandfather, Sir Sultan Mohammed Shah Aga Khan established basic literacy and numeracy classes in 1895 in Bagamoyo, Tanzania. From this beginning, the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) has continuously expanded its services to include the Aga Khan schools, hospitals, community health centres and most recently the Aga Khan University. The AKDN agencies, inspired by the vision of the Aga Khan, serve the East African Community and other countries throughout the developing world.

The AKU’s presence in East Africa dates from 2001, when the University responded initially to requests by governments and nursing councils to establish an Advanced Nursing Studies programme in Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania. Even then the aim was high: to address key problems in Eastern Africa pertaining to women’s development, building the human resources capacity for health services, and the need to develop leaders in these communities.

Since then, the university has added to its nursing education by developing graduate and certificate programmes. The Institute for Education Development provides leadership development to practicing teachers, administrators and policy-makers. Postgraduate medical education is offered in both Nairobi and Dar es Salaam, to develop doctors with a focus on community and family medicine, a much-needed specialty for this region.

According to the president, “Our emphasis is on cultivating community developers, health services, the job-creators and nurturing thoughtful leaders from the most talented students in East Africa.”

As a university in and of the developing world, AKU is uniquely placed to empower its students to be thoughtful, responsive and creative leaders.

“We want to educate individuals who will become problem solvers who can function holistically, considering both local and global perspectives to find sustainable solutions to the myriad challenges facing the region; leaders who are morally grounded with ethics and integrity, knowing the needs of the community and its traditions and committed to living and working together to realise the hopes and dreams of East Africa.”

To achieve these ambitions, AKU plans to invest over $700 million to expand its facilities throughout the region. It will add more than 6,000 new jobs to the current 1800 already working for AKU in East Africa. Building on a 50-year foundation, providing quality healthcare at the AKU Hospital in Nairobi, the University will expand its offerings to include undergraduate education in Medicine, Nursing and Allied Health specialties.

Plans also include a Faculty of Arts and Sciences which will provide interdisciplinary undergraduate degrees and graduate professional programmes, evolving AKU into a broad, comprehensive university.

“There is tremendous promise in the East African region, stimulated by the creative, committed people who live here — They will be attracted to stay if there are equal or better opportunities than those abroad,” said Mr Rasul
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Post by kmaherali »

The Georg Eckert Institute Welcomes Representatives from Aga Khan University

On 2nd February 2010, the Georg Eckert Institute welcomed high-ranking representatives of Aga Khan University, which holds faculties in Karachi, Sansibar and London, with a further branch currently under construction in Central Asia. The University’s President, Firoz Rasul, then Dean of the Institute for the Study of Muslim Civilizations in London, Farouk Topan, and the current Head of the Department for Curricula, Farid Panjwani, came to personally gather information about the Institute’s work and to discuss opportunities for future cooperation between the GEI and the University with the Institute’s research fellows.

For some time now, Aga Khan University has been the GEI’s immediate partner for the Internet project ‘1001 Ideas’, which has now been running successfully for several years. With this in mind, the project staff and university representatives had developed a cooperation proposal between ‘1001 Ideas’ and the London Institute prior to the visit. This proposal, together with other opportunities for academic partnerships, were the subject of talks between the visitors and the ‘1001 Ideas’ staff, Gerdien Jonker, Inse Böhmig and Felicitas Klingler, as well as the Head of the Project Area ‘Images’, Susanne Kröhnert-Othman, and Research Director Inga Niehaus.

Dr. Niehaus seized the opportunity to also present other GEI projects to our guests. Despite their busy schedule, the Aga Khan University representatives set aside time to peruse the library at length. The openness and cooperative nature of the meeting augurs well for further successful cooperation projects between Aga Khan University and the Georg Eckert Institute in the future.

Contact: Gerdien Jonker

Email: jonker@gei.de
http://www.gei.de/en/news/latest-news/n ... titut.html
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Post by kmaherali »

The Centre for the Comparative Study of Muslim Societies and Cultures
Simon Fraser University (SFU-CCSMSC)
and
The Institute for the Study of Muslim Civilizations
Aga Khan University (AKU-ISMC) present:

Expressions of Diversity: A Summer Programme on Muslim Cultures
Monday, July 19 – Friday, July 30, 2010

Simon Fraser University, Vancouver Campus

At a time when there is a heightened demand for information about Muslims and their heritage, this Summer Programme provides an ideal opportunity to explore relevant subjects through the rigorous and unbiased approach of major academics from a variety of disciplines.

• Develop a critical-historical understanding of Muslim societies and cultures.
• Appreciate the contested nature of concepts, interpretations, and practices.
• Understand the formative context of Muslim civilization and its influences.
• Explore plural expressions of the history and religion of Muslims.
• Deliberate the range of interpretations concerning scripture and prophecy.
• Reflect on questions of authority and interpretation in religion, society, and gender.
• Appreciate the panoply of artistic and literary expressions of Muslims.
• Obtain timely skills related to contemporary debates concerning identity.
• Consider complexity and diversity in issues of diaspora.
• Ponder the contemporary challenges and future prospects of Muslims.
• Comprehend the diverse aspects of gender in Muslim contexts.

Recommended participants include students, educational and legal professionals, as well as members of NGOs, business, governmental, and other decision-making institutions.

The programme will be held from July 19 to July 30, 2010 at the SFU Vancouver campus.
• Duration: 2 weeks
• Application Deadline: April 30, 2010
• Scholarship Deadline: March 30, 2010
• Start: July 19, 2010
• Tuition Fees: $1100 / $700(conc.) / $650(conc.)

Our on-line registration system is now available and can be found at the following links: http://www.sfu.ca/ccsmsc/summer2010 or http://www.aku.edu/ISMC/

Please visit the website (http://www.sfu.ca/ccsmsc/summer2010) to find out more about the Programme and how you can submit your General Application now!

We look forward to hosting you this summer in beautiful Vancouver, British Columbia!
With warm and kind regards,
Ellen Vaillancourt
Coordinator, CCSMSC
Centre for the Comparative Study
of Muslim Societies and Cultures
Simon Fraser University
Burnaby, BC V5A 1S6
Tel 778 .782.5278
Fax 778. 782.5837
Email ccsmsc@sfu.ca
Website www.sfu.ca/ccsmsc
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Post by kmaherali »

Aga Khan University Donates Computers



http://www.coastweek.com/3311-23.htm


Coastweek -- Eight desktop computers delivered at Kwale Health Resource Center. Seen standing [from left] Galole Dima, District Public Health Nurse, Kwale district, Professor Yasmin Amarsi, Foundation Dean, Nursing and Midwifery, Aga Khan University, East Africa, Dr. Salim Omar, District Medical Officer Health, Kwale district, Dr. Amyn Lakhani, Director, Community Health Department, Aga Khan Health Service, Kenya, Ms. Martha Loefler, Assistant Professor, Advance Nursing Studies Program, Aga Khan University, East Africa.

.

to Government Kwale Health Resource Center

Coastweek -- The Advance Nursing Studies program of Aga Khan University (AKU- ANS), East Africa based in Nairobi donated eight (8) desk top computers to Government Kwale Health Resource Center situated at District Medical Office in Kwale.

This donation is sponsored by Johnson and Johnson.

Dr. Salim Omar, District Medical Officer of Kwale received the computers.

The computers will be utilized by all health professionals and specially nurses when they are attending training sessions at the Resource Center.

A major training program for nursing staff in Coast province is initiated by the AKU- ANS .

There will be three short training courses of one week duration offered per year at Kwale.

While a long term two-year program for upgrading Enrolled Nurses to Registered Nurses will be offered at St. Luke’s Hospital, Kaloleni.

These short courses and the two year programs are sponsored by Lundin Foundation for Africa and is implemented by AKU- ANS with support from Community Health Department of Aga Khan Health Service, Kenya based in Mombasa.

Coastweek -- Computers installed at Kwale Health Resource Center.

[/b]
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Post by kmaherali »

Aga Khan University Hospital Opens Kitengela Centre

providing primary healthcare services, on-site
laboratory testing using fully automated equipment


Coastweek-- To extend the availability of quality healthcare services, the Aga Khan University Hospital , Nairobi , has opened a medical centre in Kitengela.

The medical centre will provide primary healthcare services, on-site laboratory testing using fully automated equipment for excellent quality, safety and a short turn around time.

There is a well stocked pharmacy with a wide range of medicines to match the doctor's choice of treatment.

The drugs are dispensed by registered and experienced pharmacists.

The clinic is located at Milele Centre next to Diamond Trust Bank on Namanga Road and is open from Monday to Saturday.

Jean Thairu, the Outreach Services manager explained, "In the past year, the Aga Khan University Hospital Outreach Programme opened two clinics in Kiambu and Prestige Plaza .

The Kitengela facility brings the total of these Outreach medical centres to fourteen."

"Other Medical centres include; Town clinic at Jubilee exchange building, Prestige clinic at prestige plaza Ngong Road, Burubru clinic at fairlane building above Uchumi supermarket Buruburu, Naivasha clinic next to Wambuku Hotel Naivasha, Ongata Rongai clinic at Ongata Mall and Kiambu clinic at Standard Chartered bank Kiambu Town."

"The Outreach programme was established to create wider access to quality, affordable primary healthcare. Our research has shown that the people of Kajiado South and its environs need this healthcare service close to them."

Other services available through Aga Khan University Hospital 's Outreach Programme are on-site testing laboratories and a laboratory collection centre.

These outlets offer routine and specialized laboratory investigations and are equipped with high end chemistry and haematology analyzer machines that can run 72 tests per hour.

These on-site facilities include Thika Satellite Laboratory located at the Thika Arcade Building , Nakuru Satellite Laboratory situated at Riva Business Centre, Eldoret at Eldo Mart Doctor's Plaza, Machakos Laboratory at Kitanga House. And Eastleigh Phlebotomy center at Amal plaza.

.

Remember: you read it first at coastweek.com !

http://www.coastweek.com/3314-26.htm
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Post by kmaherali »

AKU wins SCUP Award...
SCUP AWARDS and RECOGNITION PROGRAM

SCUP offers an awards program that recognizes excellence in planning, design and implementation efforts of firms and institutions, as well as the achievements of individuals whose lives and passions involve higher education.

SCUP 2010 Award Results
SCUP Excellence in Planning

Merit Award to The Aga Khan University for The AKU Faculty of Arts and Sciences University Village Land Use Plan, with Goody Clancy – Planning for a District or Campus Component

http://www.scup.org/page/membership/awards
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Post by kmaherali »

Kenyan heart patients enjoy free treatment
BY WAMBUI WAWERU
Updated : 1days and 2 hours and 12 minutes ago
Facebook Twitter Email Print
null
1/1Heart operation at AKUH

NAIROBI, Kenya, May 1 - Thirteen heart patients this week underwent groundbreaking heart surgery at the Aga Khan University Hospital (AKUH).

The hospital hosted a visiting team of doctors from Lahey Clinic, in Boston, Massachusetts led by Dr. David Martin, a cardiac electrophysiologist.

The Boston team which comprised of two doctors accompanied by two electrophysiology technicians arrived in the country Sunday 25, and began operations on Tuesday.

"Cardiac electrophysiology is the science of elucidating, diagnosing, and treating the electrical activities of the heart," explained Dr. Martin to Capital NewsBeat in the theatre during the last procedure performed on Friday morning.

"Most of what we've done is implantation of pacemakers and defibrillators and we've also performed catheter ablations and everything has gone very smoothly," said Dr. Martin.

"Abnormal heart rhythm referred to as arrhythmia, means that the heart beats too slowly, too rapidly, or in an irregular pattern. A person suffering from arrhythmia experiences chest pains, shortness of breath, palpitations and fainting," detailed Dr. Martin.

Catheter ablation is an invasive procedure used to remove a faulty electrical pathway from the hearts.

Dr Martin: "It involves advancing several flexible tubes into the patient's blood vessels and advancing them towards the heart. High-frequency electrical impulses are used to induce the arrhythmia, and then destroy the abnormal tissue that is causing it.

"For the very first time in East and Central Africa, patients with heart rhythm disorders were treated locally," said AKUH, Cardiology Services Manager, Mr Jacob Mwero.

Mwero says the lack of technology in Africa to diagnose and cure these conditions prompted doctors at the Aga Khan hospital to liaise with their colleagues abroad to be able to arrange for this charity specialist treatment.

Mr Mwero says most of the equipment used for the procedures was brought by the visiting team but the Aga Khan hospital has been preparing for this programme for the last one year by upgrading its catheterisation lab with electrophysiology diagnostic equipment.

The cost of treatment is also prohibitive.

"If you fly to the United States or Europe for this treatment, you are looking a million shillings and above; putting into consideration transport, accommodation, treatment, hospital stay, medication, the buying of gadgets like pacemakers, it a very expensive affair," detailed Mr Martin.

Interventional Cardiologist Dr Harun Otieno who was part of local team says they screened 20 patients and out of that number 13 were selected.

Mr Harun: "Not everybody is eligible; some may be too old, too sick or too weak to have the procedure done.

According to Otieno the success rate of electrophysiology study and treatment is very high. "There are a few things in medicine that you can say completely treat a condition and get one off medication. Catheter ablation for unstable heart rhythms has a success rate of over 95 percent and the patient is completely able to stop medication."

Unfortunately, electrophysiology diagnostic treatment will not be fully available locally in the short-term except through occasional charity programmes like the one just concluded at AKUH.

Dr Otieno says cardiac electrophysiology is a relatively young sub-discipline of cardiology and internal medicine developed during the mid 1970's and a qualified cardiologist requires a further 3 to 4 years of specialized study in a leading institution abroad.



Read more: http://www.capitalfm.co.ke/news/Kenyane ... z0mmSpIjW9
Under Creative Commons License: Attribution Non-Commercial No Derivatives

http://www.capitalfm.co.ke/news/Kenyane ... -8302.html
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Post by kmaherali »

A Celebration to distribute Bachelors on Nursing Sciences from Aga Khan University
(Dp-news)

Under the auspices of HE Dr. Rida Adnan Said, Minister of Health, and the presence of Mr. Mohamed Saifo, Resident Representative of the Aga Khan Development Network, AKDN, in Syria, a celebration took place at the Ministry of Health at 2.30 p.m. on, Tuesday 4 May, 2010. The celebration was dedicated to distribute Bachelors on Nursing Sciences to five students within the Bridging Program between the Ministry of Health and the Aga Khan University, AKU in Karachi, Pakistan.

The Bridging Program is part of a memorandum of understanding MOU signed between both Ministries of Health and Higher Education and AKDN. The aim of the MOU is to support the nursing sector and to improve nursing leadership and nursing education in Syria.

Dr Said assured during the ceremony the importance of advanced study, and applying knowledge in practice, in order to develop nursing services provided to beneficiaries. Dr Said listened to graduate's ideas and comments on their unique experiment, and wished them best luck in the future.

Mr. Mohamed Saifo stated: "Improving nursing sector in Syria, providing scholarship opportunities for advanced studies on nursing, promoting nursing as a career and supporting women participation in this domain, all consider the main objective to achieve by AKU, AKDN, and Ministry of Health and Ministry of Higher Education in Syria".

The Nursing Improvement Program at AKU includes continuous learning courses in addition to training in specific areas in nursing improvement (such as clinical experience, leadership development and English language improvement) in addition to providing support to a number of students to continue their education and obtain a Bachelor or Master degrees in nursing. The Program is also running bridging programs between Syrian universities and AKU as well as twinning between Damascus Hospital and AKUH. The Faculty of Nursing was already opened in the city of Hama, while another Faculty of Nursing is expected to be opened in the near future in the city of Homs.

http://www.dp-news.com/pages/detail.asp ... leId=36554
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AKU in the frontline of the technical revolution in Pakistan

Excerpt:

"The Pakistan Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO) is also working towards developing telemedicine in the country. The commission has set up a telemedicine satellite that connects the Jinnah Post Medical Center to various hospitals and telecentres across Sindh. In Sindh, the Aga Khan University Hospital (AKUH) in Karachi is also used as a hub to provide telemedicine to rural areas of the province. In fact, AKUH is involved in facilitating telemedicine in Afghanistan with the help of Roshan, one of Afghanistan’s leading telecom service providers. Jehan Ara of P@SHA gives an example of telemedicine being used in a disaster area."

http://tribune.com.pk/story/13008/the-tech-revolution/
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Lamp Lighting Ceremony, 2010 at Aga Khan University

May 27, 2010

“In full knowledge of the obligations I am undertaking, I promise to care for the sick with all the skill and understanding I possess, without regard to race, creed, colour, politics or social status, sparing no effort to conserve life, to alleviate suffering and to promote health.”

Close to 100 second-year nursing students from the Diploma in Nursing and BScN programmes at Aga Khan University School of Nursing took this International Pledge, holding a lighted lamp. The lamp symbolises a promise to uphold the values of the nursing profession and to follow the path set by nursing pioneers, Rufayda Al Aslamiya, the first Muslim nurse, and Florence Nightingale.

http://aku.edu/OnlineNews/NewsDetail.aspx?ID=259
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Varsity to have Sh2.7bn heart centre
By NATION Correspondent
Posted Thursday, June 3 2010 at 21:01

More than US$ 35 million (Sh2.7 billion) has been earmarked for a heart and cancer referral centre at Aga Khan University Hospital in Nairobi.

Mr Moyez Alibhai, the chairman of the Aga Khan Health services in Kenya said that once the centre was complete, Kenyans would have no need to go overseas for cancer treatment.

Aga Khan Health services in Kenya was carrying out massive investment in its health facilities across the country to make sure that it was a network, by investing in systems, medical personnel and technology so that they can provide the best quality services, Mr Alibhai added.

Mr Alibhai also hinted that Aga Khan Health services was exploring ways of ensuring that the cost of medical services goes down, to cater for all Kenyans.

“We want to ensure that we have the best quality services and that is why we are investing in Information Technology, human resource, diagnostic and all our hospitals will be of benefit,” said the chairman.

Mr Alibhai made the remarks at Imperial hotel during the launch of revamped diagnostic services at Aga Khan Hospital in Kisumu.

The revamped diagnostic services aim at meeting and exceeding the expectation of its customers, with the focus of improving the quality of healthcare services.

Aga Khan hospital Kisumu chief operating officer Nadim Mawji said that the laboratory department was seeking to obtain the ISO 15189 accreditation, the benchmark for laboratory accreditation.

http://www.nation.co.ke/News/regional/V ... index.html
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Experts from the AKU participate in the compilation of the WHO report

Excerpt:

"A multitude of experts from the World Health Organization, Aga Khan University and other groups compiled the report."

http://www1.voanews.com/english/news/af ... 68474.html
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VIDEO: AKU President Firoz Rasul speaks on next 25 years of the Aga Khan University

http://www.theismaili.org/cms/1048/Vide ... University

Firoz Rasul, President of the Aga Khan University addressed an audience at the Ismaili Centre, London on 8 July 2010, in which he looked ahead towards the University’s next 25 years.

In the next 25 years, said President Rasul, AKU will take an important evolutionary step to become a comprehensive university. With a vision for the University “to be on the frontiers of scientific and humanistic knowledge,” the President discussed AKU’s plans to offer programmes in the liberal arts, media and communications, law and public policy, and government. He also talked about the University’s plans to build several new campuses and to embark on regional integrated health care strategies in South and Central Asia and East Africa.
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Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi, wins Environment Excellence Award 2010
06 Aug 2010

1 Comment
by Ahmad Ladhani in AKU Pakistan

The National Forum for Environment and Health (NFEH), in collaboration with United Nations Environment Programme and the Ministry of Environment, Government of Pakistan, has presented its Annual Environment Excellence Award 2010 to Aga Khan University Hospital.

This year, AKUH is one of 58 institutions to have won the award in a nationwide competition. The award recognises industry leaders following sustainable and environment-friendly practices. Using relevant data and records from the last year, NFEH reached its decision based on the following criteria: the environment, health and safety (EHS) management programme of the organisation; leadership commitment; staff participation, goals and objectives, training programmes and progress; incident reporting and analysis; waste management; and performance monitoring, measurement and improvement.

Read complete via AKU


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http://ahmadladhani.wordpress.com/2010/ ... ward-2010/
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AKU’s East Africa project to receive “utmost priority”: EAC Secretary General

August 12, 2010

Address by Ambassador Juma V. Mwapachu, Secretary General, East African Community during the commissioning of the new printing press and celebrations of 10 years of the founding of Mwananchi Communications Limited

Distinguished Chair of the National Media Group, Mr Wilfred Kiboro;
Acting Chair of Mwananchi Communications Ltd, Madam Zuhura Muro;
Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nation Media Group, Mr Linus Gitali;
Members of the Board of Mwananchi Communications Ltd;
Managing Director of Mwananchi Communications Ltd, Mr Sam Shollai;
Your Excellencies, Ambassadors, High Commissioners and Heads of Diplomatic Missions;
Management and Staff of Mwananchi Communications Ltd;
Distinguished Guests;

Ladies and Gentlemen.

Thank you for honouring me and the East African Community (EAC) at this event of historic importance which marks the 10th Anniversary of the founding of the Mwananchi Communications Company and the Commissioning of the state-of-the-art printing press. At the outset, allow me to congratulate the Board of Directors, management and staff of the Mwananchi Communications for the lofty achievements your company has realised in the past 10 years. Many Tanzanians and East Africans would agree that your achievements do indeed reflect the theme of today’s event, namely professionalism and integrity.

The emergence of Mwananchi Communications in 2000 was no mere happenstance. Its establishment coincided with the birth of the EAC and was generally in response to the fast changing political and economic climate in the East African region. That was the time when political and economic liberalisation had begun to take root, unleashing a marketplace for ideas to contend and for business enterprise to flourish. Indeed, the prospect for a renewed spirit of regionalism provided the added impetus for “energising the power of human diversity”, to cite the inspiring words of His Highness, the Aga Khan.

Friends,

Today, 10 years after your establishment, Tanzanians and East Africans generally have every reason to celebrate a new political and economic space that is singularly manifested by the growth and vibrancy of the media in the EAC region. The American social critic, Alvin Toffler was right when he wrote that information is the most democratic source of power. The people of East Africa today are indeed empowered thanks partly to the media, to demand, exercise and defend their rights. Equally, they are empowered through sheer knowledge, which the media contributes, about the challenges that confront the human condition.

As you celebrate your 10th Anniversary, it is important to dedicate your achievements to the bold and inspiring vision of His Highness, the Aga Khan who, fifty years ago, established the Nation Media Group, your associate company.

His Highness stands out in the world as a leading pillar of democratic and human values. His intense and steadfast commitment to knowledge advancement has underlined the strategic investment of Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) in the media industry and in broad-based education amongst other ventures for social development. It also underscores his fundamental thesis about the nature of current global and regional tensions, including terrorism, which the late Professor Samuel Huntington associated with a clash of civilisations. In contrast, the view of His Highness, the Aga Khan is that such tensions manifest “a clash of ignorance”.

This is the thesis that drives His Highness, the Aga Khan’s commitment to using the instruments of formal education and the media to eradicate ignorance. On the education front specifically, AKDN is establishing 18 academies in South Asia, Central Asia, Middle East and Africa at a cost of nearly US$ 1 billion. Here in East Africa, the Network is in the process of establishing an East African Regional University, whose main campus will be in Arusha, under the umbrella of Aga Khan University (AKU), whose headquarters is in Pakistan.

This University will be multi-country and multi-campus and will advance the priorities of the EAC in line with global standards. In addition, AKDN will establish an East African Institute also under the aegis of AKU to act as a research and dialogue think-tank for addressing East Africa’s challenges, notably in climate, environment, energy, jobs and regional cohesion. The EAC is already working very closely with AKU on accreditation and other issues. I am pleased to state that under my leadership at the EAC, the East African regional University project will receive utmost priority.

Friends,

It is important to see what is evolving in the EAC region through the plans of the AKDN in the proper context. Responding to an interview question in Canada, by The Globe and Mail newspaper, on May 28 this year about how the world has changed since his last visit to Canada in 2002, His Highness, the Aga Khan put the EAC at the heart of his answer. He said, and I quote, “Well, I think one of the key issues is this question of the future, regionalism. I think we are seeing regionalism becoming a more and more international factor in the way countries relate to each other. I would give you the East African Community as an example of countries that in the past were part of a colonial system. Not all five of them, one wasn’t part of it. But today, you have five African countries entering into a constructive group for social and economic interest”.

It is this ethos of regionalism that His Highness refers to that encapsulates the spirit of the event here today. The founding of Mwananchi Communications Limited falls squarely within this perspective and for which I salute and commend the leadership of Nation Media Group. Along with Monitor Publications in Uganda, Nation Media Group has become a truly regional media enterprise making its vision of becoming “the media of Africa for Africa” highly plausible.


For us in the EAC, we see the consolidation of the East African media conglomerate, be in print, electronic or both, as the strategic partner in driving our integration agenda forward. Already, through the East African newspaper, the EAC has become a household name in East Africa and beyond. But even national newspapers like The Citizen and Mwananchi, your own daily editions, as well as other leading national newspapers and television stations, are increasingly featuring stories and issues about EAC integration. I wish to take the opportunity to hail this partnership and urge that we intensify it for the benefit of the East African people.

Friends,

As you know, the EAC is at an advanced stage in forging deeper and wider integration. But it is a stage that is churning out more complex aspects of integration which, if not well managed and explained, could cause setbacks. I have lately been reading a May 2010 report by Professor Mario Monti submitted to the President of the European Commission, Mr Jose Manuel Barosso. The report is titled: A New Strategy for the Single Market: At the Service of Europe’s Economy and Society. The report is in response to serious challenges confronting the EU’s 18 year old single market.


Mr Barosso’s letter to Professor Monti, President of the distinguished Italy’s Bocconi University in Milan, refers to “a need for a new awareness, in the public opinion as well as in political circles, of the dramatic consequences that would derive from undermining the single market. That would erode the basis for economic integration and growth and employment throughout the EU … the full potential of the single market has not yet been delivered. In many areas the single market is far from being completely in place …”

The EAC has stepped into a common, or single, market only on July 1st this year. Yet, you read in the media all kinds of perceptions about the EAC common market as if it were 10 years old. The journey to putting a common market in place has just started and the challenges will be many.

Do you know that after 18 years of the single market in Europe only 2.3 per cent of Europeans live in a Member State different from that of their nationality? Do you know that freedom of movement of workers in the EU is the most contested and least used of the four freedoms in the EU single market? Do you also know that updating the regulations on coordination of social security systems in the EU required 11 years of negotiation?

Now do not take me for a pessimist. I am totally sold to what the EAC common market can do to unlock the potential of our economies. The economic benefits will be huge, especially flowing from trade-in services and shared human resource capacity. Equally, the free movement of capital would trigger incentives for private equity funds to step into our region and bringing down the cost of risk capital. My point is one of caution against constructing castles in the air like the Abu Nawas Fable.

The media must help in promoting better understanding of the complexity of the common market and desist from being purveyors of shortcomings and pointing accusing fingers at some of the EAC Partner States for lack of commitment. Realising the full potential of the common market will take years, not months. But it will be best realised when the media supports the efforts being undertaken, always respectful of national conditions.

The challenges facing the EU single market attests to the need to galvanise political will as well as the commitment of East African citizens around shared integration goals. The media has a unique place and role to play in this worthy task.

Friends,

Allow me to end my statement by once again congratulating Mwananchi Communications Limited for turning 10 years old. During this period you became the first media firm to produce a full-colour newspaper in Tanzania. But the media marketplace is fast evolving in Tanzania and the EAC region generally. There are challenging economic times ahead that require the media to transform and reposition itself. What will differentiate you from the rest is fearless but fair reporting, respectful of Tanzanian values and a content in editorials and columns that responds to changing demographics and the new audiences that are more technologically savvy.

The installation of the new state-of-the-art printing press should help to leverage your competitiveness both in cost of production and the quality of your product. I wish you well as you enter the second decade of your operations.

It is now my singular pleasure and honour to declare the newly installed printing press officially commissioned.

Thank you and God bless you all.

http://aku.edu/OnlineNews/NewsDetail.aspx?ID=272
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Update on AKU’s response

The Sindh flood disaster is still unravelling. Given the news of fresh floods in the rivers up north, we do not anticipate the waters to recede anytime soon.

Our large city response
We deployed an urban response in Bilal Colony, where there was a cluster of IDPs, from our clinic. We are planning to set up another camp in Karachi and will need to send a team out to assess location/feasibility. The same is the case with Hyderabad and we should set up a camp near the Hyderabad hospital.

Rural response
Our field camp in Naushero Feroze has been operational since last week and is successful. We are now strengthening it. We were asked by the district admin in Khairpur to help assist with a diarrhoea outbreak and we deployed staff yesterday. This is being consolidated into a proper Diarrhoea Ward of 100 beds and we can then have our MNCH camp(s) nearby the IDP clusters. Over this week we plan to deploy the following teams:

1.We hope to have a team in place in Thatta today given the heavy influx of people.
2.We also hope to have a camp set up in Sukkur on Monday in liaison with the local staff in the Lab Office. We have identified a couple of likely spots and have also linked with a local paediatric hospital which is providing free care, so that we can focus on primary prevention. In Sukkur we will focus on the full repertoire of maternal and child care.
3.We have obtained assistance from the army to deploy a team to Dera Murad Jamali where the population has shifted from Jacobabad. This team should depart by Tuesday.
4.A team will depart for Gilgit-Baltistan on Wednesday assisted in the air lift by FOCUS.
This will raise the current total to six camps/teams this week as per plan and can be easily doubled next week in the same locations.

We will be proceeding to Sukkur on Tuesday evening for direct consultations with the health cluster staff and to see what is happening for ourselves. We shall spend two days assessing the situation on the ground in Sukkur, Khairpur, Naushero Feroze, Matiari, Hyderabad (Jamshoro/Dadu border) and possibly Thatta.

Lastly, we have been trying very hard to try and get a cholera vaccination campaign organized to prevent outbreaks and this has proved very challenging. The government of Sindh is very keen on this and we are trying to identify donors in collaboration with the International Vaccine Institute. The estimated cost for 500,000 doses is about US$6 million and if we can secure this, it will be a major contribution from AKU/AKDN.

By Dr Bhutta

http://www.aku.edu/floodrelief/AKU_response.shtml
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AKU in the List of governments and institutions making commitments in the UN drive to save the lives of more than 16 million women and children

Academic and research institutions

Institute for Global Health of Barcelona IS Global, International Partnership for Microbicides, University of Aberdeen, the Aga Khan University, University of Ghent, International Center for Diarrhoeal Disease Research in Bangladesh, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Osaka Medical Center and Research Institute for Maternal and Child Health, Consortium of Universities of Global Health, University of Toronto, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Special Programme of Research, Development and Research Training in Human Reproduction

http://www.who.int/pmnch/media/memberne ... ndex1.html
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World Mental Health Day at AKU on Oct 11

Updated at: 2030 PST, Sunday, October 10, 2010

KARACHI: The World Mental Health Day observed on October 11 every year raises public awareness about mental health issues all over the world.

An announcement of the Aga Khan University here said that the Day provides a platform to initiate open discussions on mental disorders and investments in prevention and treatment services.

It pointed out that the treatment gap for mental, neurological and substance-use disorders is formidable, especially in poor-resource countries.

The announcement further said that the Aga Khan University will commemorate World Mental Health Day (WMHD) on October 11 focusing on this year's global theme: `Burden of Care in Mental Illness'.

The WMHD programme will include lectures by specialists on these topics: `Who looks after the mentally ill in Pakistan? by Dr Murad Moosa Khan; `Stigma and mental illness: Time to change’ by Dr Haider Naqvi; `The joy of caring: Social support in care giving' by Dr Nargis Asad; `From compassion to complaints: Stress of caring' by Dr Naila Bhutto; and `I don't want others to know: an alcoholic in the family' by Dr Syed Ahmer.

http://www.thenews.com.pk/latest-news/2669.htm
http://aku.edu/OnlineEvents/EventsDetail.aspx?ID=394
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Understanding Muslim civilisations
Denise Marray

12 November 2010,
Over the last 200 years or so, western countries have largely dominated the flow of knowledge, with the result that ideas from other countries have been greatly under-represented in studying and analysing issues that affect the daily lives of people throughout the world. Correcting this imbalance, which arose partly under colonial rule, is an enormous task — but work is underway.

In London, the Aga Khan University’s Institute for the Study of Muslim Civilisations (AKU-ISMC) is striving to bring more voices to international debate. AKU has an international reputation in the fields of medicine and healthcare that it is extending into the fields of humanities and social sciences. Through the ISMC, it aims to strengthen research and teaching about the heritage of Muslim societies as they have evolved over time, with specific attention to the challenges these societies face in contemporary settings.

For Sikeena Karmali Ahmed, the ISMC’s manager of publications and editing, the work of bringing Muslim scholarship to a wider audience is a labour of love. “I feel very devoted to this work. I believe in it. It’s not just a job for me,” she said.

Ahmed’s direct experience in Central Asia, where she directed a human rights training programme, gives immediacy to the work being undertaken at the ISMC. She has worked with the Aga Khan Humanities Project in Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Kyrgistan. “I was working in Afghanistan during the American bombardment and on the outskirts of Afghanistan during the Taleban rule between 1999 and 2004,” she explained. It was while undertaking a survey on gender in Tajikistan’s Karategin Valley in 1999 that she saw the harsh actions of the ruling Taleban. A commander Shah ordered the public hanging of two girls, aged just 12 and 14, who had wanted to go to school. To meet the commander, Ahmed — herself a Muslim — donned a full veil, as it was only on his terms that any communication could take place.

She asked him, “Can you show me or explain where it is written that Muslim women should not be educated beyond primary school?” The commander, who Ahmed thought was unable to read the Koran in Arabic, could not point to a source for his edict. His brutal actions, she observed, also need to be seen in the context of 
his experience.

He associated education with Soviet occupation, as under the Soviets, education was compulsory and religious worship of any kind forbidden. In the commander’s mind, education had become synonymous with Soviet-isation — something to be eradicated. In this 
case, as Ahmed pointed out, the issue of education “was misappropriated and misassigned”, with tragic results.

The commander asked Ahmed, “Aren’t you afraid of asking these questions?” She replied: “You pray every day — or you claim to — to a God who is merciful and forgiving. Do you really think that a merciful and forgiving God would want you to have killed two young girls because they were trying to educate themselves?” The commander, she recalled, paused for thought at that point, but “not as much as I would have liked him to.”

The ISMC offers a range of short courses on Muslim cultures in addition to its highly demanding two-year Master of Arts in Muslim Cultures degree. Students come from the US, Canada, Iran, Central Asia, India, Pakistan and East Africa. Many graduates go on to work in the developing world, perhaps within the Aga Khan Development Network or continue their studies at PhD level at reputable universities such as Oxford or Cambridge.

news@khaleejtimes.com
http://www.khaleejtimes.com/Displayarti ... mber14.xml
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Over 300 doctors and nurses graduate at AKU’s 23rd Convocation

November 13, 2010

Keeping the annual tradition of the institution alive, Aga Khan University (AKU) trustees, alumni, faculty and staff honoured 323 graduates at the 23rd AKU Convocation on Saturday, November 13, 2010.

This year, the University’s Institute for Educational Development graduated 21 students and the School of Nursing 162 nurses, 12 of whom received a Master’s degree.

The Medical College graduated 97 doctors and granted 24 Master of Science degrees. There were 19 Master of Bioethics graduates also, the first class from this programme at the University.

Amidst much applause, Rinam Rahmatullah received the Best Graduate Award from the School of Nursing and Dr Saulat Sajjad Sheikh from the Medical College.

Mr Khushnood Lashari, the Federal Health Secretary and chief guest at the morning Convocation reminded graduates of the contribution the University has made to the country. Highlighting the hardships the country is facing in the aftermath of the 2010 Pakistan floods, he commended the University’s relief efforts in making the Railway Hospital in Sukkur operational and turning it “into a diarrheal treatment centre which potentially saved many from the epidemic of diarrhoea and cholera in the region.” He said there was much to be done in this time of need, and urged graduates to “build institutions, create knowledge, set benchmarks of quality by using best practices, develop models for change, inspire ethical practice and lead by example.”

The chief guest at the afternoon programme, Justice Sarmad Osmany, Chief Justice, Sindh High Court reminded the graduating doctors that they should not treat the medical profession as merely a career. Rather, they must have compassion for their fellow human beings and the desire to serve humanity. He also spoke about the current situation in Pakistan and how the nation is facing a series of major calamities including the 2005 earthquake and the recent floods, as well as terrorism. These are situations that only the citizens of Pakistan can take responsibility for and respond to.

On a similar note, Mr Firoz Rasul, President, Aga Khan University reminded graduates of their role in rebuilding Pakistan. He emphasised how great leaders have been able to effect change by challenging the way a society thinks and shapes its institutions; from Nelson Mandela, who withstood 27 years in prison on the basis of a principle, to Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, who nursed the birth of a nation.

Mr Rasul called for leadership that displays the same qualities of resilience. “Leaders who have the capacity to bounce back from misfortune, disruptive change, and crises; who have the ability to step up, see a new horizon with greater opportunities, and then engage those around them to achieve that vision,” he said. The ability to be a resilient leader is driven by a person’s intrinsic qualities, attitudes and behaviours and an ethical framework. “It comes from the ability to look at challenges as opportunities to grow, to change, and to learn from mistakes rather than seeing ourselves as victims of circumstances and feeling we are not in control of our own destiny. It comes from our willingness to take the initiative rather than feel sorry for ourselves and inspire those around us to believe in their own capabilities.”

The University also presented three people with awards. The Award of Excellence in Education went to Dr Shaista Masood Khan, for her outstanding contribution to education, the Award of Distinction to Dr Terrence Gibson and Dr Riaz Qureshi, who have contributed constructively and consistently to the development of the University.

Also in attendance were representatives from student groups, various student and academic leaders, and staff, all of whom played an important role for students during their years at AKU.

For details, please visit the University's Convocation websection.

About Aga Khan University
AKU was chartered in 1983 as Pakistan’s first private university. Its objective is to promote human welfare in general, and the welfare of the people of Pakistan in particular, by disseminating knowledge and providing instruction, training, research and service in the health sciences, education and such other branches of learning as the University may determine. AKU also has programmes in Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, the United Kingdom, Afghanistan, Syria and Egypt.

http://aku.edu/OnlineNews/NewsDetail.aspx?ID=725
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Dr. Zulfiqar Bhutta of Aga Khan University is on the Advisory Panel of Scientists Without Borders Challenge for Solutions to Combat Consequence of Malnutrition

Posted: 16 Nov 2010 06:39 AM PST

To ensure scientific rigor and independence, Scientists Without Borders convened an Advisory Panel of three of the world’s leading nutrition science and policy experts and vested them with the independent authority to identify the appropriate parameters, specific focus area, and criteria for this challenge. These esteemed scientists—Dr. Zulfiqar Bhutta of Aga Khan University in Pakistan; Dr. Eileen Kennedy, Dean of the Gerald J. and Dorothy R. Friedman School of Nutrition Science & Policy at Tufts University; and Dr. Ricardo Uauy, a professor at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine and former president of the International Union of Nutritional Sciences—will also assist Scientists Without Borders in the selection of the prize-winning solution.

http://www.nyas.org/MemberCenter/Academ ... e0805eb092
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Provincial
Ultra-modern medical centre opens in Nakuru


By NATION correspondentPosted Sunday, November 21 2010 at 20:46

The Aga Khan University Hospital, Nairobi, has opened a modern medical centre in Nakuru County in its campaign to improve the quality of healthcare in the country.

The opening of the ultra-modern centre comes at a time investors attracted by renewed growth are trooping into the town.

The newly-refurbished medical centre will provide the more than 300,000 residents of the town with affordable primary and specialised healthcare services.

Other services available at the centre situated at Riva Business Centre include an on-site laboratory, with a capacity to handle routine and specialised tests.

“Your results will be delivered on time and in a confidential manner to either you or your doctor,” said one of the paramedics at the centre.

She said the centre had a well stocked pharmacy with a wide range of affordable drugs.

Nakuru has become a preferred destination for investors and leading banks have opened their branches in the town.

The latest banks to open branches in the town include the Commercial Bank of Africa, Chase Bank and Credit Bank.

http://www.nation.co.ke/News/regional/U ... index.html
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Universal Children’s Day today

KARACHI: Universal Children’s Day (UCD) is being celebrated on Nov 27 (today) like every year to promote mutual exchange and understanding among children all over the world. Aga Khan University (AKU) is commemorating UCD today to initiate action to benefit and promote children’s welfare in Pakistan and abroad. The UCD line-up will include stalls for health-related activities and lectures by specialists on topics such as ‘Nutritional Needs of Growing Children: Is my newborn healthy?’ ‘Beyond Physical Health: How can we protect our children from illness?’ and ‘Early Childhood Development’. The programme will begin at 10am and conclude at 1pm at AKU Auditorium, Stadium Road campus. ppi

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.as ... 010_pg12_5
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Post by kmaherali »

AKU organising free medical camps in city

KARACHI: The alumni of Aga Khan University (AKU) is organising free medical camp in different localities of the city on Thursday (today). The camps at Karimabad, Federal B Area; Bilal Colony, Korangi; Sultanabad, and New Sabzi Mandi areas are offering visitors an opportunity to check their blood pressure, weight, BMI and blood glucose levels. The camping will start at 11am and continue till 4pm where people will also be given information about basic hygiene practices and how to protect oneself from infectious diseases such as malaria, dengue and pneumonia. The visitors will also be offered a chance to speak to a mental health counselor, who will screen for depression and offer advice on how to manage stress, one of the main causes of depression. staff report
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